• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.313-318
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• 2013

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) have been used as a powerful fusion modality in nuclear medicine not only for detecting cancer but also for staging and therapy monitoring. Nevertheless, there are various causes of FDG uptake in normal and/or benign tissues. The purpose of present study was to investigate whether additional delayed imaging can improve the diagnosis to differentiate the rates of FDG uptake at axillary lymph nodes (ALN) between malignant and benign in breast cancer patients. 180 PET/CT images were obtained for 27 patients with ALN uptake. The patients who had radiotherapy and chemotherapy were excluded from the study. $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT scan at 50 min (early phase) and 90 min (delayed phase) after $^{18}F$-FDG injection were included in this retrospective study. The staging of cancers was confirmed by final clinical according to radiologic follow-up and pathologic findings. The standardized uptake value (SUV) of ALN was measured at the Syngo Acquisition Workplace by Siemens. The 27 patients included 18 malignant and 9 ALN benign groups and the 18 malignant groups were classified into the 3 groups according to number of metastatic ALN in each patient. ALNs were categorized less than or equal 3 as N1, between 4 to 9 as N2 and more than 10 as N3 group. Results are expressed as the mean${\pm}$standard deviation (S.D.) and statistically analyzed by SPSS. As a result, Retention index (RI-SUV max) in metastasis was significantly higher than that in non-metastasis about 5 fold increased. On the other hand, RI-SUV max in N group tended to decrease gradually from N1 to N3. However, we could not prove significance statistically in malignant group with ANOVA. As a consequence, RI-SUV max was good indicator for differentiating ALN positive group from node negative group in breast cancer patients. These results show that dual-time-point scan appears to be useful in distinguishing malignant from benign.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2016

Purpose By ingestion of 18F-FDG of kidney of PET/CT during the inspection, if additional examination is required, depending on whether you want to water intake, we want to confirm a change in the rate of decrease of F-18 FDG of the kidney. Materials and Methods The 80 patients without kidney disease were performed PET/CT examination. Device was analyzed after setting the kidney to a three-dimensional region of interest. In patients require additional examination, and inspection after 30 minutes, a PET/CT torso examination after the water of the 500 cc ingested at a time. After the addition of both water intake group and no hydration group of kidney of SUV, it was compared with PET/CT torso scan. Results High and low of the kidney SUV did not show a significant difference in the rate of decrease. Reduction rates of background (BKG) of additional examination was 2.8% and reduction rates of SUV was 49.7% (Hydration) : -6.8% (No hydration), so did show a significant difference. In the image blind test, the average point score of hydration and no hydration was 34.25 : 17.25. Conclusion An undercurrent of 18F-FDG in the kidney at the time of torso examination, it was confirmed that the reduction rate after the addition of water intake is high. It is considered that can be expected to improve the quality of an image due to a decrease in elongation through the kidneys examination with additional fluid intake as needed intake.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.243-256
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• 2024

Objective: We aimed to investigate whether 2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (2-[¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT) can aid in evaluating the risk of malignancy in ampullary tumors detected by endoscopy. Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study analyzed 155 patients (79 male, 76 female; mean age, 65.7 ± 12.7 years) receiving 2-[¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT for endoscopy-detected ampullary tumors 5-87 days (median, 7 days) after the diagnostic endoscopy between June 2007 and December 2020. The final diagnosis was made based on histopathological findings. The PET imaging parameters were compared with clinical data and endoscopic features. A model to predict the risk of malignancy, based on PET, endoscopy, and clinical findings, was generated and validated using multivariable logistic regression analysis and an additional bootstrapping method. The final model was compared with standard endoscopy for the diagnosis of ampullary cancer using the DeLong test. Results: The mean tumor size was 17.1 ± 7.7 mm. Sixty-four (41.3%) tumors were benign, and 91 (58.7%) were malignant. Univariable analysis found that ampullary neoplasms with a blood-pool corrected peak standardized uptake value in earlyphase scan (SUVe) ≥ 1.7 were more likely to be malignant (odds ratio [OR], 16.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.13-36.18; P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis identified the presence of jaundice (adjusted OR [aOR], 4.89; 95% CI, 1.80-13.33; P = 0.002), malignant traits in endoscopy (aOR, 6.80; 95% CI, 2.41-19.20; P < 0.001), SUVe ≥ 1.7 in PET (aOR, 5.43; 95% CI, 2.00-14.72; P < 0.001), and PET-detected nodal disease (aOR, 5.03; 95% CI, 1.16-21.86; P = 0.041) as independent predictors of malignancy. The model combining these four factors predicted ampullary cancers better than endoscopic diagnosis alone (area under the curve [AUC] and 95% CI: 0.925 [0.874-0.956] vs. 0.815 [0.732-0.873], P < 0.001). The model demonstrated an AUC of 0.921 (95% CI, 0.816-0.967) in candidates for endoscopic papillectomy. Conclusion: Adding 2-[¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT to endoscopy can improve the diagnosis of ampullary cancer and may help refine therapeutic decision-making, particularly when contemplating endoscopic papillectomy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.290-297
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• 2000

Background : Current non-invasive methods for evaluating the mediastinum by computed tomographic (CT) scan have limited sensitivity and specificity. The recently introduced PET was reported to be a more sensitive and specific method for the mediastinal staging of NSCLC (sensitivity : 76-100 %, specificity : 81-100%) than CT or MRI. We assessed the usefulness of PET in the mediastinal staging of NSCLC. Methods : We reviewed the medical records of NSCLC patients that had undertaken staging work-up by both CT and PET before thoracotomy between January 1997 and December 1998. A total of 23 patients were enrolled in the study (14 males and 7 females) with a mean age of 61$\pm$9 years. By comparing the clinical(CT and PET) and pathologic stagings, we evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of PET in thoracic nodal staging. Results : Sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value and negative predicted value were 38%, 40%, 25% and 50% respectively for computed tomography, and 50%, 60%, 30% and 69% for PET. The accuracy of FDG-PET in our study was lower than that reported by previous other studies. Conclusion : The addition of FDG-PET to CT scanning has limited benefit for the thoracic nodal staging of NSCLC, but its value in our study was lower than that observed by others.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2010

Purpose: As PET/CT come into wide use, it caused increasing of expose in clinical use. Therefore, Korea Food and Drug Administration issued Patient DRL (Diagnostic Reference Level) in CT scan. In this study, to build the basis of patient dose reduction, we analyzed effective dose in transmission scan with CT scan. Materials and Methods: From February, 2010 to March 180 patients (age: $55{\pm}16$, weight: $61.0{\pm}10.4$ kg) who examined $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT in Asan Medical Center. Biograph Truepoint 40 (SIEMENS, GERMANY), Biograph Sensation 16 (SIEMENS, GERMANY) and Discovery STe8 (GE healthcare, USA) were used in this study. Per each male and female average of 30 patients doses were analyzed by one. Automatic exposure control system for controlling the dose can affect the largest by a patient's body weight less than 50 kg, 50-60 kg less, 60 kg more than the average of the three groups were divided doses. We compared that measured value of CT-expo v1.7 and ImPACT v1.0. The relationship between body weight and the effective dose were analyzed. Results: When using CT-Expo V1.7, effective dose with BIO40, BIO16 and DSTe8 respectably were $6.46{\pm}1.18$ mSv, $9.36{\pm}1.96 $mSv and $9.36{\pm}1.96$ mSv for 30 male patients respectably $6.29{\pm}0.97$ mSv, $10.02{\pm}2.42$ mSv and $9.05{\pm}2.27$ mSv for 30 female patients respectably. When using ImPACT v1.0, effective dose with BIO40, BIO16 and DSTe8 respectably were $6.54{\pm}1.21$ mSv, $8.36{\pm}1.69$ mSv and $9.74{\pm}2.55$Sv for 30 male patients respectably $5.87{\pm}1.09$ mSv, $8.43{\pm}1.89$ mSv and $9.19{\pm}2.29$ mSv for female patients respectably. When divided three groups which were under 50 kg, 50~60 kg and over 60 kg respectably were 6.27 mSv, 7.67 mSv and 9.33 mSv respectably using CT-Expo V1.7, 5.62 mSv, 7.22 mSv and 8.91 mSv respectably using ImPACT v1.0. Weight and the effective dose coefficient analysis showed a very strong positive correlation(r=743, r=0.693). Conclusion: Using such a dose evaluation programs, easier to predict and evaluate the effective dose possible without performing phantom study and such dose evaluation programs could be used to collect basic data for CT dose management.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.599-603
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• 2004

Primary pericardial malignant mesothelioma is a lethal and rare cardiac neoplasm of mesodermal origin. Most cases are associated with history of pericarditis with constriction and/or tamponade. Authors experienced a case of primary pericardial malignant mesothelioma in a 55-year old female who had suffered from dyspnea and chest pain. Pericardial nodules revealed intense uptake by FDG-PET scan and confirmed as primary pericardial malignant mesothelioma by thoracoscopic biopsy. Here we report this case with a brief review of the relevant literatures.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.90-101
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of various quantitative indices for the differentiation of benign from malignant primary soft tissue tumors by FDG-PET. A series of 32 patients with a variety of histologically or clinically confirmed benign (20) or malignant (12) soft tissue lesions were evaluated with emission whole body (5min/bed position) PET after injection of [$^{18}F$]FDG. Regional 20min transmission scan for the attenuation correction and calculation of SUV was performed in 16 patients (10 benign, 6malignant) followed by dynamic acquisition for 56min. Postinjection transmission scan for the attenuation correction and calculation of SUV was executed in the other 16 patients (10 benign, 6 malignant). The following indices were obtained. the peak and average SUV (pSUV, aSUV) of lesions, tumor-to-background ratio acquired at images of 51 min p.i. ($TBR_{51}$), tumor-to-background ratio of areas under time-activity curves ($TBR_{area}$) and the ratio between the activities of tumor ROI at 51 min p. i. and at the time which background ROI reaches maximum activity on the time-activity curves ($T_{51}/T_{max}$). The pSUV, aSUV, $TBR_{51}$, and $TBR_{area}$ in malignant lesions were significantly higher than those in benign lesions. We set the cut-off values of pSUV, aSUV, $TBR_{51},\;TBR_{area}$ and $T_{51}/T_{max}$ for the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions at 3.5, 2.8, 5.1, 4.3 and 1.55, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 91.7%, 80.0%, 84.4% by pSUV and aSUV, 83.3%, 85.0%, 84.4% by $TBR_{51}$, 83.3%, 100%, 93.8% by $TBR_{area}$ and 66.7%, 70.0%, 68.8% by $T_{51}/T_{max}$. The time-activity curves did not give additional information compared to SUV or TBR. The one false negative was a case with low-grade fibrosarcoma and all four false positives were cases with inflammatory change on histology. The visual, analysis of FDG-PET also detected the metastatic lesions in malignant cases with comparable accuracy In conclusion, all pSUV, aSUV, $TBR_{51}$, and $TBR_{area}$ are useful metabolic semi-quantitative indices with good accuracy for the differentiation of benign from malignant soft-tissue lesions.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.538-545
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• 2007

Purpose: We evaluated correlation of $^{18}F$-FDG uptakes, therapeutic response and relapse in pre-treatment $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT in patients with SCLC. Materials and methods: We included 26 patients with pathologically proven small cell lung cancer. Total 102 lesions (26 lungs, 69 lymph nodes and 8 metastatic lesions) were evaluated. All patients underwent $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT for staging. The maxSUV was used as a parameter of $^{18}F$-FDG uptake. The patients were divided into responders and non-responders according to response criteria on chest CT scan after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. We compared maxSUV between two groups by using independent t-test. To access correlation with $^{18}F$-FDG uptake and relapse, maxSUV and interval time to relapse was analyzed by correlation analysis. The cutoff value of maxSUV was evaluated by ROC curve. Results: Twelve-one patients (81%) were responders and five patients were non-responders on follow-up chest CT scan. The mean maxSUV of main lung lesions in responders and non-responders were $14.15{\pm}3.72$ and $9.17{\pm}2.15$, respectively. The maxSUV in the responders was significantly lower than that in non-responders (p<0.05). According to ROC curve, point of cut that predicts therapeutic response was 8.98 with 100% sensitivity and 57% specificity. The correlation analysis between $^{18}F$-FDG uptakes and interval time to relapse showed a significant negative correlation (p<0.05, r=-0.757). Conclusion: The pre-treatment $^{18}F$-FDG uptake of responders was significantly lower than that of non-responders. Patients with high $^{18}F$-FDG uptake in pre-treatment $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT relapse earlier.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2015

Purpose Principal component analysis (PCA) is a method often used in the neuroimagre analysis as a multivariate analysis technique for describing the structure of high dimensional correlation as the structure of lower dimensional space. PCA is a statistical procedure that uses an orthogonal transformation to convert a set of observations of correlated variables into a set of values of linearly independent variables called principal components. In this study, in order to investigate the usefulness of PCA in the brain PET image analysis, we tried to analyze C[11]-PIB PET image as a representative case. Materials and Methods Nineteen subjects were included in this study (normal = 9, AD/MCI = 10). For C[11]-PIB, PET scan were acquired for 20 min starting 40 min after intravenous injection of 9.6 MBq/kg C[11]-PIB. All emission recordings were acquired with the Biograph 6 Hi-Rez (Siemens-CTI, Knoxville, TN) in three-dimensional acquisition mode. Transmission map for attenuation-correction was acquired using the CT emission scans (130 kVp, 240 mA). Standardized uptake values (SUVs) of C[11]-PIB calculated from PET/CT. In normal subjects, 3T MRI T1-weighted images were obtained to create a C[11]-PIB template. Spatial normalization and smoothing were conducted as a pre-processing for PCA using SPM8 and PCA was conducted using Matlab2012b. Results Through the PCA, we obtained linearly uncorrelated independent principal component images. Principal component images obtained through the PCA can simplify the variation of whole C[11]-PIB images into several principal components including the variation of neocortex and white matter and the variation of deep brain structure such as pons. Conclusion PCA is useful to analyze and extract the main pattern of C[11]-PIB image. PCA, as a method of multivariate analysis, might be useful for pattern recognition of neuroimages such as FDG-PET or fMRI as well as C[11]-PIB image.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.39-43
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• 2008

Purpose: We evaluated whether it was necessary to perform whole body acquisition of $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT including whole skull and lower extremity (LE) distal to mid-thigh (MT) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Materials and Methods: Thirty patients underwent 45 whole body $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT scans including skull and LE distal to MT. PET scans were divided by 2 subgroups according to the presence of abnormal focal $^{18}F$-FDG uptake in skull or LE distal to MT. Clinical characteristics including age, sex, and stages were compared between the 2 subgroups. Results: Of total 45 whole body PET/CT scans, focally increased abnormal FDG uptake in the skull or LE distal to MT suggesting myeloma involvement was found in 22 scans (48.9%) of 14 patients (46.7%). Skull lesions were more frequently observed than LE lesions distal to MT on PET (86.4% vs. 40.9%, p<0.005). There were no significant differences in age, sex, initial Durie/Salmon stage, and tumor burden at the time of PET scan suggested by serum hemoglobin level, serum calcium level, serum and urine paraprotein level, and serum creatinine level between the two subgroups. The presence of the skull or LE distal MT lesions on PET did not affect on the Durie/Salmon plus stage except only 1 case (1/22, 4.5%, p>0.05). Conclusion: Abnormal lesions in the skull or LE distal to MT on $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT did not affect significantly on the tumor burden and Durie/Salmon plus stage of MM. Therefore, torso PET acquisition including head may be sufficient for evaluating patients with MM.